know of Robinson Crusoe

[keannu]

Like "hear of" for "being acquainted with sth" vs "hear about" for "hear an explanation about something", Does "know about" and "know of" make such difference?
I haven't heard of "know of" a lot, what's the difference with "know about"? It doesn't seem a native speaker's writing.

ex)Do you know of Robinson Crusoe, the character in a novel who survives for years alone on an island? You may think his story sounds impossible....

[Preceptor]

There is no significant difference in meaning between 'know of' and 'know about.' The form 'know of' is a bit more old-fashioned, and so you will not hear it in modern speech that frequently.

[keannu]

There is no significant difference in meaning between 'know of' and 'know about.' The form 'know of' is a bit more old-fashioned, and so you will not hear it in modern speech that frequently.

So in old fashioned speech, what was the difference?

[Preceptor]

The difference is that if you 'know of' someone you know that he exists. If you 'know about' someone you know details of his life.

[JohnParis]

thank foa shring

Dear Keannu or Poloabc,
It is very polite to thank someone for their help and you are a very polite person. However, in all of your posts this morning you have misspelled and incorrectly capatalized "Thank you for sharing" (see quote above).
Many learners come here, and if they see "thank foa shring", they might make the mistake of thinking that this is correct English.
The proper response is either "Thank you for sharing." or "Thanks for sharing."
"Thanks" is very informal and is generally not used between people that have not met, or between teachers and students.
Thank you for taking the time to thank us. It's always nice to feel appreciated.
John